A police officer who murdered an opposition journalist in August 2008 has been freed from jail after serving just three months of a two year sentence.
Ibragim Yevloyev, a senior police officer in Russia’s volatile southern republic of Ingushetia, was found guilty of “reckless homicide resulting from improper performance of professional duties” in December 2009 following the murder of opposition journalist Magomed Yevloyev (no relation) in 2008.
He was sentenced to two years at a penal colony. However, following an appeal his conviction was reduced to the lesser charge of “reckless homicide.” On Wednesday 8 March his sentence was commuted to two years under “restricted freedoms” and he was freed from prison.
Magomed Yevloyev’s father, Yahya Yevloyev, told Russian newspapers that the new sentence was “an outrage” and that he intended to lodge a complaint with the Russian Supreme Court.
According to the International Press Institute’s World Press Freedom Review 2009, Russia was the most dangerous country in Europe for journalists over the past decade. A total of 35 journalists have been killed there because of their work since 2000, making it the fifth most dangerous country in the world for reporters, between 2000 and 2009. IPI placed Russia on is Watch List in June 2000.
During an IPI Press Freedom Mission to Russia in October 2009, a delegation from IPI met with press freedom monitors from Russia, all of whom expressed concern at the level of impunity murders of journalists face.
Speaking at the time, IPI Deputy Director Alison Bethel McKenzie said: “It is absolutely vital for freedom of the media in Russia that this culture of impunity cease. We urge the Russian government to do all it can to ensure that those who murder and assault journalists are brought to justice.”
During the Mission, Vladimir Lukin, the Russian Human Rights Ombudsman, assured the IPI delegation that he would raise its concerns over the impunity enjoyed by the killers of journalists in Russia with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Magomed Yevloyev, 37, founder of the website www.ingushetiya.ru, was arrested at Narzan airport, in Ingushetia, Russia, on 31 August 2008, allegedly following an argument with Murat Zyazikov, president of Ingushetia, who had been on the same plane from Moscow. He was then taken to a police car and sustained a gunshot to the head on the journey to a local police station. Yevloyev died in a hospital that same day.
Magomed Yevloyev had been a vocal critic of the Russian government, and particularly of Zyazikov. Zyazikov had repeatedly threatened to shut down the website, which has also been the target of several judicial proceedings. Zyazikov resigned from office in October 2008 following pressure from opposition groups over his failure to combat corruption, solve disputes with North Ossetia over refugees or reduce attacks on the security forces by Islamist separatists.
Speaking on Thursday 4 March, following Ibragim Yevloyev’s successful appeal, Bethel McKenzie said: “We are surprised and gravely concerned about the release of Ibragim Yevloyev from prison. The message sent by the Ingushetia Supreme Court is that one can virtually get away with killing journalists in Russia – even after being found guilty by a court. IPI calls on the government to send a clear message that the days of impunity for killing journalists are coming to an end.”
